Nearly one in four federal managers say they feel pressured to hire specific candidates, raising fresh concerns about fairness and transparency in Ottawa’s hiring practices, according to a new government survey.Blacklock's Reporter says the findings come from a biennial report by the Public Service Commission, which shows 24% of managers experienced pressure in staffing decisions. In most cases, that pressure came from individuals in positions of authority over them.The 2025 Staffing and Non-Partisanship Survey, based on responses from 82,987 public servants, suggests lingering concerns about favouritism within the federal workforce. Employees who viewed hiring processes as unfair frequently cited a lack of transparency, with many believing positions were filled based on personal connections rather than merit.Researchers noted respondents pointed to hiring influenced by “who you know,” along with concerns about nepotism and preferential treatment in some appointments.The data also shows a growing reliance on internal hiring methods that bypass open competition. .Among managers who filled or attempted to fill positions, 36% said they relied exclusively on non-advertised appointments, while 41% used a mix of advertised and non-advertised processes. Just 23% reported using only publicly posted job competitions.Managers said the main reasons for avoiding open postings were the ability to select what they viewed as the best candidate more quickly, along with frustration over the complexity and length of formal hiring procedures.Federal audits have repeatedly found hiring timelines stretch for months. A 2020 report by the Department of National Defence found internal staffing processes could take up to 324 days, while earlier findings showed average hiring times across government departments approaching seven months.Previous survey results in 2023 also highlighted widespread dissatisfaction among managers, with 86% describing the hiring process as burdensome.When asked why, most pointed to excessive paperwork (64%), too many approval stages (59%) and lengthy security clearance requirements (57%) as key obstacles.Applicants for federal jobs are often required to complete multiple screening steps, including background checks and language testing, further contributing to delays and frustration within the system.
